Rack component and rack system

ABSTRACT

A rack component having a component body with a front, back, top, base, width between the front and the back, and an aperture extending through the component body near the top, the top of the component body configured to be the negative of a cut-out on the base, such that the cut-out on the base of one component body can receive the configuration on the top of an adjacent component body below it. A rack system using a series of the rack components is also disclosed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a rack component and, moreparticularly, to a rack component that can be used with similar rackcomponents for stacking doors, moldings and related materials during thefinishing process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Workers finishing building workpieces such as doors, trim, moldings andthe like during building or renovations, including painting, staining,sealing, or the like, often experience difficulties due to the awkwardshapes and need to finish more than one side of the piece or pieces. Forexample, when finishing a door, a worker generally needs to paint afirst side, wait for that side to dry and then finish the other side.Moreover, because of the size of most doors, finishing multiple doorsoften requires significant space to lay the doors down with the finishside up so that the finish side does not come in contact with otherpieces, tools, brushes, drop cloths, etc., during the drying process.

Devices used to finish and stack workpieces have been primarily limitedto saw horses, work benches, boards and the like, which are themselvesnot only space consuming when in use, but also space consuming when notin use and need to be stored.

Efforts to permit drying in smaller spaces generally include trying toplace workpieces such as doors on an edge and stacking subsequent doorshorizontally. However, this still requires that the edges be unfinished,and can lead to imperfections in the finish where a piece rests againstan adjacent piece. Similarly, when drying trim or moldings, it is usualto finish a piece and then line it up with similarly finished pieces ona flat surface such as a floor or leaning against a wall to maximizespace when drying. However, this quickly leads to the use of allavailable floor or wall space, leaving the worker without sufficientroom.

Therefore, there is a failure in the art to provide a solution forpermitting a user to finish doors, trim, molding and other piecesquickly and efficiently, and minimizing the space needed to dry multiplepieces as they are finished.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a rack component and rack systemcomprising a component body having a front, a back, a top, a base, awidth between the front and the back, and an aperture near the topextending through the component body, wherein the top of the componentbody comprises a configuration that is the negative of a configurationcut-out on the base of the component body, such that the configurationcut-out on the base of one component body can receive the configurationon the top of an adjacent component body.

In the most preferred embodiment, the component body is generally in theshape of triangle with first and second sides of substantially equallength converging upwardly to an upper angle, a third side of an equalor different length than the first and second sides, the third sidehaving a cut-out corresponding substantially to the upper angle, wherethe aperture is within the upper angle and extends through the componentbody.

The aperture is preferably in the shape of a circle for receiving afastener such as a nail, screw or the like that passes through theaperture and can be affixed to the edge of a workpiece. Most preferably,the diameter of the aperture in the component body is preferably largerthan the diameter of the fastener used with the component body, so thatthe component body can move freely about the fastener.

When finishing a door the worker preferably attaches two rack componentsto the top and bottom edges of a door, with at least two rack componentson one of the top and bottom edges of the door and at least one rackcomponent on the other of the top and bottom edges of the door. Thispermits the door to be suspended above a support surface, supported bythe rack components fastened to the top and bottom edges of the door.When one side of the door is finished, workers can grasp the rackcomponents at one side of each of the top and bottom, lifting the rackcomponent(s) off of the support surface while maintaining the other ofthe rack components standing on the support surface. The door can thenpivot on the fastener through the aperture on the standing rackcomponent, flipping the door so that the second side is facing upwardlyand the previously finished, but not yet dry side is facing downwardly.In doing so, the rack components both pivot around the fastener throughthe apertures so that the bottom or third sides of the rack componentsare maintained as the base to support the door.

The cut-out on the bottom of the component body is shaped substantiallythe same as the configuration of the top of the component body. In thetriangle shape of the preferred embodiment, the upper angle is receivedin a cut-out on the bottom of the component body for receiving the upperangle of a rack component placed beneath. This allows rack componentsaffixed to multiple workpieces to be stacked upon one another forfinishing multiple workpieces.

For example, when finishing multiple doors, each of the doors would haverack components on the top and bottom edges at substantially the samepoints along the length of the top and bottom edges of the doors. Whenboth sides of a subsequent door has been finished, the subsequent doorcan be lifted by the rack components, so as not to touch the newlyfinished door, and stacked on the rack components fastened to thepreviously finished door. This permits the finished doors to be stackedvertically in a minimal amount of space for drying until all arecompletely dried.

The width of the rack component is preferably sufficient to permit therack components to stand and provide sufficient integrity to support theworkpiece and to ensure a good support surface when adjacent rackcomponents are stacked. Not only should the width be sufficient tosupport a heavy object such as a door, it should be sufficient tomaintain the rack components in an upright position when supportinglighter loads such as trim or moldings.

For example, the rack components can be used with a span, such as aboard, between opposed rack components to form a “bridge.” When two ormore of such bridges are placed at a sufficient distance from oneanother, trim, moldings, and the like can be finished and placed on thespan in rows for drying. Moreover, multiple bridges of pairs of rackcomponents with spans therebetween can be formed and stacked upon oneanother so that layers of workpieces can dry simultaneously.

In a preferred embodiment, the first and second sides of the componentbody may further include supports at a lower portion of the sides forreceiving workpieces to dry. More specifically, supports may extend atan angle substantially perpendicular to or extending upwardly from thefirst and second sides to provide a rest against which a piece of trim,molding or the like may be supported. In the preferred embodiment, theextension of the supports and the length of the first and second sidesis sufficient to hold a 6″ wide piece of trim, molding or the like whilealso supporting a door, making multiple uses of the component body.

Although the component body can be solid across its width, it may beformed in an I-beam construction, with the edges having the full widthand the middle having a reduced thickness to conserve material.Notwithstanding, it is preferred that an area surrounding the apertureextend to at least the width of one side of the component body, andpreferably extend beyond the width of the component body to minimizecontact with the door when the door and component body are being pivotedabout the fastener. It is most preferred that the opposed side of theaperture be recessed from the width, and preferably recessed asufficient distance so that the recess can retain and support a dowelspanning two rack components, for hanging workpieces if desired.

The component body may be made of any suitable material that can providestructural integrity to the workpiece or stacked workpieces beingsupported, including wood, metal, plastic or the like, as well ascombinations thereof. Most preferably, the component body is formed ofan integrally formed plastic material by injection molding, to reducethe costs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The attached drawings, in which like reference characters represent likeparts, are intended to better illustrate a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention without limiting the invention in any mannerwhatsoever.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with preferreddimensions illustrated.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 withpreferred dimensions illustrated.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the alternative embodiment of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective illustration of a rack system made of the rackcomponents of the present invention holding a series of doors and trimor molding workpieces.

FIG. 7 is a perspective illustration of a rack system made of the rackcomponents of the present invention with a span holding multiple trim ormolding workpieces on a number of levels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following description of the preferred embodiment is presented todescribe the present invention without limiting the scope of theappended claims in any manner whatsoever.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the present claimed invention is directed to arack component, used as part of a rack system, where the rack componentcomprises a component body 2 having a front 4, a back 6, a top 8, a base10, a width 12 between the front 4 and the back 6, and an aperture 14near the top extending through the component body 2, wherein the top 8of the component body comprises a top configuration 16 that is thenegative of a bottom configuration 18 on the base 10 of the componentbody 2, such that the bottom configuration 18 on the base 10 of onecomponent body 2 can receive the top configuration 16 on the top 8 of anadjacent component body 2.

In the most preferred embodiment, the component body 2 is generally inthe shape of triangle with first and second sides of substantially equallength converging upwardly to an upper angle at the top 8, a third sideof an equal or different length than the first and second sides formingthe base 10, the third side having a cut-out configuration 18corresponding substantially to the configuration 16 of the upper angleat the top 8, where the aperture 14 is within the upper angle andextends through the component body 2.

The aperture 14 can be any shape but is preferably a circular cylinderfor receiving a fastener such as a nail, screw or the like, that passesthrough the aperture and can be affixed to the edge of a workpiece. Inthe preferred system, the fastener is a screw to provide ease ofattachment and removal from the workpiece. Most preferably, the diameterof the aperture 14 in the component body 2 is somewhat larger than thediameter of the fastener passing through the aperture 14, so that thecomponent body 2 can rotate about the fastener.

When finishing a door the worker preferably attaches two rack components2 to the top and bottom edges of the door. Although the components 2 canbe arranged with at least two rack components 2 on one of the top andbottom edges of the door and at least one rack component 2 on the otherof the top and bottom edges of the door, it is preferred that four rackcomponents 2 be used, with two components 2 fastened to the top edge andtwo components 2 fastened to the bottom edge of the door. Once the rackcomponents 2 are attached, the door can be placed horizontally andeasily finished and flipped to finish the opposite side.

The cut-out bottom configuration 18 on the base 10 of the component 2 isshaped substantially the same as the configuration 16 of the top 8 ofthe component 2 so that the bottom configuration 18 of one component 2securely nests on the configuration 16 at the top 8 of a component 2below it. In the triangle shape of the preferred embodiment, the upperangle top configuration 16 is received in a triangular cut-out bottomconfiguration 18 on the base 10 of the component body 2 for receivingthe upper angle of a rack component placed beneath.

The width 12 of the rack component 2 is preferably sufficient to permitthe rack components 2 to stand and provide sufficient integrity tosupport the workpiece and to ensure a positive engagement surface whenadjacent rack components 2 are stacked. Not only should the width 12 besufficient to support a heavy object such as a door, it should besufficient to maintain the rack components 2 in an upright position whensupporting lighter loads such as trim or moldings.

Although the dimensions of the rack component 2 can be any dimensionssuitable to support and stack workpieces, a triangular rack component 2having upwardly facing converging sides of about 9 inches each and abase of about 10 inches across with a width of about 1½ inches isbelieved to be suitable (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The component 2 with thesedimensions would preferably have a cut-out bottom configuration 18 withside walls of about 2 inches each and an angle that matches theconfiguration 16 at the top 8 of the component 2. Additionally, theaperture 14 would preferably be about ⅛ to ¼ inch in diameter for thefastener to freely pass through.

Of course, side dimensions of about 4 to 18 inches, bases of about 5 to24 inches and widths of about ½ to 12 inches could be used for theembodiment shown, with an aperture of about 1/16 to 1 inch and abump-out and recess of about ½ to 3 inches, without limitation.

In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings attached hereto, theouter side walls of the component body 2 include supports 20 near thebase 10 for supporting workpieces. More specifically, supports 20 mayextend at an angle substantially perpendicular to or extending upwardlyfrom the sides to provide a rest against which a piece of trim, moldingor the like may be supported.

The preferred embodiment of the component body 2 shown is formed in anI-beam construction, with the edges having the full width 12 and themiddle having a reduced thickness to conserve material. Although anysuitable thicknesses can be used, the preferred embodiment showncontemplates the middle portion being about ¼ inch thick, with edges ofabout ⅝ inch on each side to form the 1½ inch width 12.

In any event, it is preferred that an area surrounding the aperture 14extend to at least the width 12 of one side of the component body 2.Most preferably, the component body 2 comprises a bump-out 22 on oneside of the front 4 or back 6 which is to be adjacent the workpiece, tokeep the remainder of the component body 2 spaced away from theworkpiece and reduce risk of marking the finish (see FIG. 5).

It is also preferred that the area surrounding the side of the aperture14 opposite the bump-out 22 be formed as a recess 24 from the width 12.The recess 24 is preferably sized not only to accept the head of thefastener but, in the most preferred embodiment, to provide a receptacleto retain and support a dowel. This permits the use of a dowel as a spanbetween two components 2 with the recesses 24 facing one another, whichcan be fastened with a fastener passing from the bump-out 22 to thedowel in the recess 24, on which workpieces can be hung if desired.

The component body may be made of any suitable material that can providestructural integrity to the workpiece or stacked workpieces beingsupported, including wood, metal, plastic or the like, as well ascombinations thereof. Most preferably, the component body is formed ofan integrally formed plastic material by injection molding. Moreover, asdescribed above, the middle of the component body 2, as well as areasthrough the component 2 and along the width 12, can be reduced and/orremoved to further reduce the amount of material without reducingstructural integrity.

A rack system can be created using the rack component 2. As describedabove, the system may comprise four rack components 2 with a fastenerfor each component 2 to fasten the components to the top and bottomedges of a door. Using four more rack components 2 with fasteners foreach additional door, a series of doors with rack components 2 fastenedin substantially the same location can be stacked as shown in FIG. 6.Additionally, trim, moldings or the like can be placed on the supports20 of the successive components 2, as further shown in FIG. 6.

Similarly, fastening connecting spans between rack components 2 to formbridges, and using two or more bridges of two components 2 with a spanfastened between them to a level, a series of levels can be formed tohold finished trim, moldings or the like on successive levels. As shownin FIG. 7, this system maximizes space for drying many pieces of trim,molding or the like in a minimum amount of space.

Variations, modifications and alterations to the above detaileddescription will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example,the weight element may be in the form of three weighted rods with threeadjacent pockets just in from terminal edge of the fold over panel. Allsuch variations, modifications and/or alternatives are intended to fallwithin the scope of the present invention, limited only by the claims.Any cited patents and/or publications are incorporated by reference.

We claim:
 1. A rack component comprising a component body integrallyformed of a single material having a front, a back, a top, a base, awidth between the front and the back, opposed side walls, and anaperture extending through the component body near the top, said sidewalls converging from the base to the top, at least one of the sidewalls comprising an outwardly extending support including a supportsurface extending outwardly at an angle of about 90° or upwardly from aportion of the at least one side wall above the support surface, whereinthe support surface is adapted to rest a workpiece upon the support andagainst the at least one side wall, wherein the top of the componentbody comprises a configuration that is the negative of a configurationcut-out on the base of the component body, such that the configurationcut-out on the base of the component body can receive a configuration onthe top of another adjacent said rack component body oriented below therack component.
 2. The rack component of claim 1 wherein the componentbody is in the shape of a triangle with, first and second sides of saidtriangle being formed of said converging opposed side walls, with saidfirst and second sides being substantially equal in length, with saidfirst and second sides converging upwardly to an upper angle and a thirdside of said triangle being formed of said base with said third sidebeing of an equal or different length than said first and second sides,where the configuration cut out on the base substantially corresponds tothe upper angle and the aperture is within the upper angle.
 3. The rackcomponent of claim 1 wherein the component body is formed of an I-beamcross section.
 4. The rack component of claim 1 wherein the componentbody further comprises a bump-out on at least one of the front and theback of the component body about the aperture.
 5. The rack component ofclaim 2 wherein the component body is formed of an I-beam cross section.6. The rack component of claim 2 wherein the component body furthercomprises a bump-out on at least one of the front and the back about theaperture.
 7. The rack component of claim 2 wherein the support forresting a workpiece is on at least one of the first and second sides. 8.The rack component of claim 1 wherein the component body is formed froma material taken from the group consisting of metal, wood and plastic.9. A rack system comprising a series of stacked rack components forminga series of levels, each rack component comprising a component bodyintegrally formed of a single material having a front, a back, a top, abase, a width between the front and the back, opposed side walls, and anaperture extending through the component body near the top, said sidewalls converging from the base to the top, at least one of the sidewalls comprising an outwardly extending support including a supportsurface extending outwardly at an angle of about 90° or upwardly from aportion of the at least one side wall above the support surface, whereinthe support surface is adapted to rest a workpiece upon the support andagainst the at least one side wall wherein the top of the component bodycomprises a configuration that is received in a configuration cut-out onthe base of the component body of an adjacent one of the rack componentsoriented above the component body, the system further comprising afastener for fastening each rack component to a workpiece.
 10. The racksystem of claim 9 comprising four of the rack components for each level.11. The rack component of claim 1 further comprising an outwardlyextending support on the other of the at least one side walls.
 12. Therack component of claim 1 wherein the support surface extendssubstantially perpendicular to the portion of the side wall above thesupport surface.
 13. The rack component of claim 1 wherein the opposedside walls converge inwardly for at least a portion of a distancebetween the base and the top in an area above the outwardly extendingsupport.
 14. The rack component of claim 9 wherein the support surfaceextends substantially perpendicular to the portion of the side wallabove the support surface.
 15. The rack component of claim 9 furthercomprising an outwardly extending support including a support surface onthe other of the at least one side walls.
 16. The rack component ofclaim 9 wherein the opposed side walls converge inwardly for at least aportion of a distance between the base and the top in an area above theoutwardly extending support.